- It has meant everything to me to visit Nesodden as often as possible - Alexander Rybak to amta.no, 8.6.2020

A few hours after this moment, everything changed - see what has helped Alexander

By Ann-Turi Ford | Published on amta.no | NO 

June 8th 2020 | Translated by Mónika Menyhért

Just before everything broke loose, the Rybak family sat on the edge of the bed
in the hotel in Moscow where the entire Norwegian delegation, including Amta, was staying.

In a hotel room in Moscow in the afternoon on Saturday 16 May 2009, Amta had an exclusive chat with the Rybak family. The parents were so happy that he has slept well and long before the big final.

Oksval: It was not without reason that Natasha and Igor Rybak were relieved.

Last week we learned that what began as innocent sleep aid around Eurovision in Moscow, in recent years has ended up taking control of the young artist's life.

Photo: Ann-Turi Ford | amta.no | May 17th 2009

Before it all took off in Moscow on Saturday eleven years ago, the family sat in their hotel room with local newspapers. Father Igor had put new strings on the fiddle of the then 22-year-old son and tuned them. Mom Natasha was very relieved that Alexander had advanced from the semifinals.

All three rejoiced that the Russian TV team NRK used cheered on Alexander. And that Andrew Lloyd Webber himself - who was present as the composer of Great Britain's entry - had gone to him to congratulate.

In the summer of 2006, before he became a big star, Oksval-guy Alexander Rybak walked
hirty kilometers backpacking around Valdres to meet people and make music for people.

Gang of rough journalists

Right after the small session, the press bus went to the Olimpijsky arena with journalists from Amta and a bunch of other Norwegian media people.

When the bus returned, life had changed for the young man from Nesodden who had won the entire Eurovision.

We saw a dramatic sight in the press corps when we returned. A large group of rude journalists from most European countries surrounded Alexander in front of the hotel entrance. It was impossible to get closer to him. I was pushed away.

He was fair game.

I remember I was a little scared, thinking about how frightening the massive forces must be for Alexander and his parents. Then the joy took over and Alexander apparently seemed to handle the success very well.

But last week he told how the pressure had slowly but surely made him addicted to sleeping pills and tablets for depression.

Just before the victory in 2009, Alexander took a driver license. 
He was a driver himself when Amta interviewed him after got back to Nesodden.

- It has meant everything to me

"It started harmlessly, but in the end it was close to ruining my life," he wrote on Instagram and Facebook.

"In recent years, the pills have made me weak and scared. It affected not only my brain but also my muscles and stomach. It ruined my relationship to other people, but most importantly - it almost destroyed my will to live", he continued.

The country's media could further tell that he had started rehabilitation in January, had received good help from doctors, and now begins to feel like himself again.

But something has always been a safe haven through the difficult periods:

- It has meant everything to me to visit Nesodden as often as possible, when it was at its worst,                           he says to Amta.

He promises that we will have a longer chat during the summer.

(The translator of this article is not native either in the Norwegian or the English language, so any correction is welcomed and appreciated.)